Page 55 - IJPS-11-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Single mother spatial distribution in Nigeria

Interestingly, the spatial clustering obtained from the being a single mother in rural areas subject’s women to
model that excluded the observed covariates persists even more complex challenges compared with the experience
after controlling for the covariates. This finding reveals of urban women due to limited opportunities to explore
that the clustering serves as a proxy for other factors that family structures and financial insecurity, all of which can
exert an unmatched influence on the prevalence of single deter rural women from considering single motherhood as
motherhood across Nigeria. The findings show a lower an option.
likelihood of single motherhood among women residing The study further shows that education and household
in the northern part of Nigeria but a higher likelihood wealth index correlate with single motherhood in Nigeria.
in the southern states. This emphasizes the spatial Specifically, women who attained primary or higher levels
inequality in social norms, culture, values, and economic of education have higher odds of being single mothers.
development between various parts of the country. For This result aligns with findings from other sub-Saharan
instance, although multiple studies have affirmed the African countries (Odimegwu et al., 2017). This is expected
common practice of early marriage in northern Nigeria,
the dissolution of marriage is uncommon in the traditional because educated women are more empowered and enjoy
northern Nigerian marital system due to social customs more autonomy. The findings also suggest that women
and restrictions imposed by the dominant Islamic religion. with no education become single mothers due to the lack
Although Islamic law provides spouses with the right to of marriage or cohabitation. These women could choose
terminate marital relationships and seek divorce, single these marital options due to the economic challenges and
motherhood is often not encouraged among the faithful financial responsibility that come with marriage. Other
(Chiroma et al., 2014). A study in Zaria, an ancient city in studies have shown that women from wealthier households
northern Nigeria, reported that although single parenting are more likely to live as single mothers as these women are
appears to be on the rise, its acceptance among the populace capable of caring for themselves and their children and are
is limited (Anyebe et al., 2017). In the southern part of the therefore unwilling to subject themselves to the patriarchal
country, premarital sexual activities are common among family system characterized by male dominance (Adewoyin
young men and women, which are attributed to peer et al., 2020; Odimegwu et al., 2017). However, our findings
pressure, the influence of pornography, and the desire show that women from the wealthiest households have a
for pleasure (Alo & Akinde, 2010; Okah et al., 2023). lower likelihood of being single mothers.
Unintended pregnancies and school dropouts have been In terms of ethnicity and religion, we found higher
identified as some of the consequences of such activities odds for single motherhood among Christians but lower
(Okah et al., 2023), considering the low prevalence of odds among Muslims. Using only the 2018 NDHS data set,
contraceptive use in Nigeria (Adebayo & Gayawan, 2022; the study by Adewoyin et al. (2020) found no substantial
Alaba et al., 2015). Moreover, modernization in southern difference in the likelihood of single motherhood based
Nigeria has affected many values of traditional societies by on religious affiliation; however, Anyebe et al. (2017)
encouraging alternative family structures and increased indicated that people from both Christian and Islamic
rates of divorce and separation, which has prompted more religious groups considered being a single mother as
women to embrace single motherhood. unacceptable and thus unwelcoming. In Nigeria, religion
Findings from the rural-urban differential show a high generally has a moderating influence on union formation
propensity for single motherhood among urban dwellers. and family structure (Anaana et al., 2019, Ononokpono
These results corroborate those of Ononokpono et al. et al., 2021). However, alcohol consumption by both
(2021), who revealed that rural women had higher chances genders, which is more common among Christians;
of being in a union or cohabitation, but more urban wrong choice of partners; and poor financial management
women reported being formerly married. While adherence have been identified as factors contributing to marital
to values and norms regarding marriage and cohabitation dissolutions and pushing more women to become single
could be more common in rural areas due to the greater mothers among the Christian faithful in Nigeria (Anaana
importance given to traditions in these settings, women et al., 2019). Considering the lack of significant difference
living in urban areas are often exempt from such traditions in the likelihood of single motherhood across Nigeria
and values and at liberty to decide the type of family reported in the study by Adewoyin et al. (2020), in which
formation they desire. In addition, urban women are more data from only the most recent NDHS was used as against
likely to be empowered and enjoy greater autonomy than data from the four waves of the survey considered in this
their rural counterparts; accordingly, increased levels of study, it would be worthy to consider trends in single
divorce and separation have been reported in urban areas parenting based on religious affiliation in the country. In
(Takyi & Broughton, 2006). As Khan et al. (2022) argued, the context of ethnicity, the lower odds reported among

Volume 11 Issue 2 (2025) 49 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.4313